What is Childhood SSI?

The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program for children is known as “Childhood SSI.” It is a federal program that provides benefits to disabled children. A child must satisfy both the financial need requirement and the medical disability requirement to be eligible.

The financial requirement:

The child must live in a household with limited income and resources. Each household is different. But, as a general rule, if your family is receiving state assistance, food stamps or Medicaid, the financial requirement will likely be met.

If you’re NOT receiving other benefits and are working, there’s a chart for household income. As a general rule, if you’re a single parent, and have an earned household income of $36,000 or less, the financial requirement will be met.

If you’re a two-parent household and have an earned income of $44,000 or less, the financial requirement will be met.

The medical requirement:

The child must have a “marked and severe” functional limitation. As defined, this limitation is one that severely interferes with the child’s ability to function at the level of other children the same age.

The child has been disabled for 12 months, or has a disability that is expected to last 12 months, or the child’s disability is expected to result in death.

Special Rules for Your Child

Unlike adults, children do not need to prove they are unable to work. The Social Security Administration has a Listing of Medical Impairments for children. Many diseases affect children differently than adults and some diseases are only found for children, such as developmental disorders and growth impairments.

In addition to medical records, the Social Security Administration also reviews school records and reports to determine the child’s level of functioning.

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